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Transcript

Derecho · Wilder Whispers Podcast

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: Hey friend, welcome to Wilder Whispers, a space where we slow down and listen for God's voice in the ordinary moments of life.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Shay Wooden and I'm so glad you're here.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: We often expect God to speak through big moments, a sermon, a breakthrough, a perfectly quiet prayer time, and he does, but so often he chooses quieter ways, in the middle of everyday life, in the unnoticed moments, in gentle whispers that invite us closer.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: Each episode, I'll share one simple story and the quiet truth God revealed through it, not because it was extraordinary, but because he was present.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_00: So wherever you are right now, take a breath, let's slow down, and listen together.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: There's something special about having people in your life that you can count on.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: People who are there when you need them, who don't hesitate to step in when life brings something you simply can't handle on your own.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes it takes an unexpected circumstance to remind us just how much we need one another.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: That's exactly what happened to Don and me a few months ago.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: And through what happened, the Holy Spirit reminded me of something God had already established in His Word.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: Back in August, Don and I were in Virginia visiting family when a Derecho swept through our area back home.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: Now, if you're not familiar with the Derecho, it's a pretty powerful windstorm, similar to an inland hurricane, that can leave a lot of damage in its path.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: And this one certainly did.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_00: We had been keeping an eye on the weather because I was supposed to fly home and I wanted to make sure my flight wasn't going to be delayed or canceled.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: Well, Tuesday evening we were out playing topgolf when we started seeing just how severe the storm was going to be.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: And we decided, you know what?
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: Let's start driving home tonight.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: We had no idea what we might find when we got home, whether we would have power, whether there was damage, or what we might be facing, but we knew we wanted to get back.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: The next morning we reached out to one of our neighbors to see how things looked, and she started sending us pictures.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: From what we could see, there was quite a bit of damage to our property, and we knew we had a mess waiting for us.
• 2:15
  SPEAKER_00: We were in a group text with some family and friends, and we asked if anyone could go over to the house and get our generator running.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: Our friend Mari said he could do it.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: And not only did he go over and get the generator set up, but he stayed there until we could get home, making sure it had enough gas to keep running.
• 2:31
  SPEAKER_00: I can't tell you how much we appreciated that.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: And when we finally got home and saw everything for ourselves, we realized pretty quickly that this was more than we could take care of.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: We had large trees down.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: Two big willow trees had fallen into the pond.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: There were branches and limbs everywhere.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_00: And we didn't have the equipment or the know-how to get those trees out of the water.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: But I knew someone who did.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_00: So I picked up the phone and called my cousin.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_00: Her husband Terry has experience cutting trees, and when I told her what had happened, she didn't hesitate.
• 3:02
  SPEAKER_00: She said we'll be over.
• 3:03
  SPEAKER_00: And that evening they showed up.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: Terry brought his ATV and chainsaws, and they got right to work cutting up the large oak tree that had fallen in our yard.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_00: And that was just the beginning.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: He actually took Friday off work that week to come back and help us get those two big willow trees out of the pond.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm telling you, it was our own version of planes, trains, and automobiles, except we had ATVs of John Deere and kayaks.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: And you know what I loved?
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: Our next door neighbors have six kids ranging from elementary school to high school.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: When they saw us working, all six came over and offered to help.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: The younger ones were picking up branches while one of the older boys was hauling loads to the curb with the tractor and even using a kayak to retrieve branches from the pond.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: And Don and I were able to help our neighbors with their cleanup as well.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: When I think back on all of it, I'm amazed at how everyone came together.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: Different ages, different abilities, different resources.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: There was no way we could have done all that work on our own.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: And as I thought about everything that had happened, I was reminded of the body of Christ.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: We didn't have the tools or the know-how to clear those fallen trees, but we knew someone who did.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: And it only took one phone call.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: And the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart, this is what the body of Christ looks like.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: When Paul writes to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, he uses the human body to explain how the body of Christ is supposed to function.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: In verse 12 he says, For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ.
• 4:38
  SPEAKER_00: And then in verse 13 he tells us, For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: Our unity isn't simply the result of people deciding to work together.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's something the Holy Spirit has established through our relationship with Christ.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_00: We belong to one another because we belong to Him.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: And within that one body, God has given us different gifts and abilities.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_00: As I watched everyone working in our yard, that became so real to me.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: We had children as young as six or seven years old helping, and adults who were over sixty.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: Some had the experience to operate chainsaws and heavy equipment.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: Others were retrieving branches from the pond, while the youngest were picking up sticks and carrying them to the curb.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_00: Everyone was contributing, but no one single person had everything necessary to get that work done.
• 5:27
  SPEAKER_00: And that's how God designed his body.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_00: In verse 18, Paul says that God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as he pleased.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: Our differences are a mistake.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: God never intended for every member to have the same function.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_00: And then in verse twenty one, Paul says, And the eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: We need one another.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: Paul continues in verse twenty two, no, much rather those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: Notice that word necessary, not just appreciated, not simply welcomed, necessary.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_00: I think sometimes we lose sight of that in the body of Christ.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: We can become so focused on the people who have the most visible gifts or responsibilities that we overlook the contributions of others.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_00: We recognize the preacher standing behind the pulpit, the worship leader holding the microphone, or the person leading a ministry.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: And those are important functions.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: But what about the person who quietly prays for others?
• 6:37
  SPEAKER_00: The one who visits someone who's sick?
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_00: The person who notices when someone hasn't been at church for a few weeks and picks up the phone to check on them.
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_00: Those members are necessary too.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: In verses 24 and 25, Paul explains that God has composed the body in such a way that greater honor is given where it's lacking, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its members should have the same care for one another.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: Paul isn't simply telling us that everyone has something to do, he's teaching us how we're supposed to regard one another.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: No member should be dismissed because their contribution seems small, and no member should consider themselves so important that they no longer need anyone else.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: When we recognize the value God has placed on every member, we stop measuring importance by visibility, position, or ability.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: And that brings us to verses twenty-five and twenty six, where Paul explains how the members of the body should care for one another.
• 7:36
  SPEAKER_00: He says, if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: Or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I experienced something interesting with my own physical body a while back.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: I had injured my shoulder and eventually needed surgery to repair it.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_00: After about six weeks of physical therapy, my therapist explained something to me that I found fascinating.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_00: Because of the injury, my body had learned to compensate.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_00: When I tried to use my shoulder, muscles in my neck were engaging to help accomplish the movement.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: My brain had essentially learned another way to get the job done.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_00: Now those neck muscles weren't supposed to be doing the work of my shoulder.
• 8:16
  SPEAKER_00: That wasn't their primary function.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: But when my shoulder wasn't able to function as it should, other muscles stepped in to compensate.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: And that's something we can learn from our physical bodies.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: When one part is injured or weakened, other parts respond to help us continue functioning.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: And in the body of Christ, when one member is struggling, the other member should respond with that same kind of concern.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: Paul isn't describing a body where each member is concerned only about itself.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: He's describing a body whose members care for one another.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: And that's what we experienced after the Derecho.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: People saw a need and were willing to do something about it.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_00: Now that doesn't always mean showing up with a chainsaw or spending an entire day doing physical labor.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes it means sitting beside someone who's grieving, bringing a meal to a family that's going through a difficult season, praying with someone who's struggling, or simply being present when they need a friend.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_00: In Galatians 6 2, Paul tells us, bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: That word bear requires something of us.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: It means we're willing to come alongside someone and help carry a weight they're struggling to carry on their own.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes that costs us something.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: Our time, our convenience, our resources, maybe even a day off work.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: But that's part of what it means to love one another.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: Romans 12.15 tells us to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: We don't just share the good moments, we walk with one another through the difficult ones too.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, the help wasn't all one-sided.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_00: Mari had made sure our generator was running while we were away, but when we got home, he needed somewhere to charge his work laptop, and we were able to help him with that.
• 10:10
  SPEAKER_00: Don and I also had opportunities to help our neighbors with their cleanup.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: There will be times when we're the one carrying someone else's burden, and there will be times when we're the ones who need help.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: We shouldn't be too proud to receive it, and we shouldn't be too busy or unwilling to give it.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: Because in the body of Christ, we're called to care for one another.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: So let me ask you something.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: When you think about your place in the body of Christ, how do you see yourself?
• 10:39
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you've convinced yourself that you don't have much to offer.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: You look at the gifts and abilities of others and wonder what difference you could possibly make.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_00: But God hasn't asked you to be someone else.
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_00: He's placed you within his body, and what he's given you matters.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: I think about those six kids who came over to help us.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: Nobody asked them to, and they weren't expecting anything in return.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: They simply saw need and responded.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes that's all it takes.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_00: A willingness to use what God has given us to help someone else.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe you're on the other side of that.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_00: You're accustomed to being the one everyone depends on, the one who has the answers, who takes care of things, who rarely asks anyone for help.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: But what happens when you're faced with something you can't handle on your own?
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: Are you willing to acknowledge that you need someone else?
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: Because being part of the body of Christ means recognizing that God has given us different gifts and abilities, and that we need what he has placed in one another.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_00: So here's the question I'd like you to consider.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: Are you allowing God to use what He's given you to strengthen his body while also being willing to receive what He's given to others?
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: This week I want to encourage you to pay attention to the people God has placed around you.
• 11:59
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe there's someone who needs what you have to offer.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_00: It might be your time, your experience, your encouragement, or simply your willingness to come alongside them.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: Don't dismiss what you can contribute because it seems small.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're the one carrying a burden right now, don't assume you have to carry it alone.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: Reach out.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: Let someone know what you're facing.
• 12:22
  SPEAKER_00: Give others the opportunity to minister to you.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_00: Let's pray.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: Father, thank you for the way you've designed the body of Christ, placing each of us within it with different gifts, abilities, and purposes.
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: Forgive us for the times we've overlooked the contributions of others or allowed pride to convince us that we don't need anyone else.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_00: Open our eyes to recognize the needs around us and give us hearts that are willing to respond.
• 12:51
  SPEAKER_00: Help us to value every member as you do, never measuring someone's importance by their age, position, abilities, or how visible their contribution may be.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: And Father, when we're the ones who are struggling, give us the humility to receive the help and encouragement you provide through others.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: Teach us to bear one another's burdens, to rejoice with those who rejoice, and to weep with those who weep.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: May your love be evident in the way we care for one another, and may we function together as the body you've called us to be.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: In the name of Jesus we pray.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: Amen.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_00: In 1 Corinthians 12, 27, Paul says, Now you are the body of Christ and members individually.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: He doesn't say we're supposed to become the body of Christ.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: He says we are the body of Christ.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_00: It's who we are because we belong to Him.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_00: And when we understand who we are, it should change how we see and care for one another.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: And today's closing whisper to carry with you is this you were never meant to carry it all or carry it alone.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for spending this time with me on Wilder Whispers.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: I hope today's story reminded you that God is closer than we often realize and that He's still speaking, even in the ordinary moments of life.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_00: Whispers are the language of closeness.
• 14:15
  SPEAKER_00: They invite us to lean in.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_00: As you go about your day, whether you're working, resting, driving, or just trying to catch your breath, stay attentive.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: God is not far away.
• 14:28
  SPEAKER_00: He's not silent, he's near, and he's speaking.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, keep listening.
• 14:34
  SPEAKER_00: This is Wilder Whispers, and I'm Shay Wood.